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January 31st, 2018

1/31/2018

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January 31, 2017                                      WELL  DEFINED
1 Timothy 4:11,15 “Prescribe and teach these things.” “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all.”
Being focused on our life, our desires, our likes and dislikes, our preferences, our opinions, and our ‘rights’ results in our missing the intended message and purpose of the scriptures. Reading and interpreting the scriptures to suit our preferences has the effect of diluting the scriptures, robbing us of the power of the gospel. Our culture puts self on the throne and even believers can unknowingly perceive or view the scriptures as a tool that will ‘make their life better.’ However, the truth is that we should view the scriptures as the gospel of God that we should build our life around. When a facet of our life contradicts the scripture, then we are the one that needs to be changed rather than ignoring or trying to interpret scripture in such a way that we can remain the same. The Scriptures are not ambiguous, even though listening too many of the ‘teachers’ of scriptures, and hearing all of the opposing interpretations of the scriptures, one would conclude that the Scriptures are ambiguous. However, the liberating truth is that the Scriptures are not difficult to understand and are not difficult to live out once we know our identity as sons and daughters of God. Contrary to popular opinion, the life that a believer is called to live is well defined in the scriptures. As a believer and as a disciple of Jesus, we should view the Scriptures as THE handbook of life, and be quick to make any adjustments we need to make so that our life is in harmony with the teachings of scriptures. Sad to say, but some see the teachings of scripture as the unreachable, ‘ideal’, but impossible to actually live out, because after all, they ‘are just human beings.’ With all that being said-the scriptures are God’s instructions for life. “The words of God giveth life.” Proverbs 3:1.  Throughout the New Testament we find commands and instructions that are given to believers, but these commands are not burdensome, but when kept, lead to life. It is key to understand that the commandments are actually pointers to our new nature that we have been given. When we come to understand in our spirit that every command of Scripture comes from our loving Father and that they are in harmony with our new nature, we actually rejoice to keep His commandments. May we long to hear His every command, and may we rejoice over every word He speaks. Knowing, loving, and following God is not difficult or burdensome. Once we come to know God in the deepest part of our being, it will be our desire to do the things that please Him. So, as 2 Corinthians 11:3 tells us, do not let our minds be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. The gospel was given for our good, and in keeping the gospel, we find life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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FROM  THE  HEART

1/28/2018

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January 28, 2018                                FROM  THE  HEART
Matthew 5:18 “But the things that proceed out if the mouth come from the heart, and these defile the man.”
Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
What is in our heart is the crucial thing in life, and what is in our heart has a way of being exposed. Our words, our thoughts, and our action have their roots in our hearts. The truth we may often overlook is that it is not the other person or the unpleasant circumstance that is the real problem; the problem is our response, and our response flows from our heart. If we find ourselves expressing anger, being critical of others, being resentful, being difficult to get along with, living with discouragement, having the wrong thoughts, etc., then we have a heart problem. There are times when God allows certain things to happen with the purpose of exposing what is in the heart. For example, when someone says or does something that stirs up anger in me-what they said or did is not the problem-it is my response that comes from my heart that is the problem. The good news for believers is that God has given us a new heart-not a reconditioned one-and this new heart is pure. We can live from this new heart by walking according to the Spirit, but we can also choose to walk according to the flesh-according to our old heart. As believers, it is a wise, and it is also in keeping with scripture, for us as to routinely examine the fruit that our heart is bringing forth. We can determine the condition of our heart by listening to the words we speak and by evaluating our thought life.  As said above, if we are believers, God has given us a new heart, but He has also given us the responsibility to steward or watch over our heart. According to Proverbs 21:2, what matters is what God sees in our heart, not our justification or our opinion of what is in our heart:  “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Having a heart that is pure and pleasing to the Lord and a heart that blesses others is not a difficult thing. Our part in the process is to live according to the new creation we are in Christ, according to the direction of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us not spend this life allowing our heart to produce bad fruit that injures others and robs us of the life God has for us, but let us live out of the heart God has given us, and bless and encourage others, and experience life to the fullest.  Each of us at times have responded out of a bad heart and have tasted that fruit, but let us see those times as a time when God, out of His love for us, revealed what was in our heart in order that we could repent and return to walking according to the new person we are, according to our true identity in Him.
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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ARE  THEY  ASKING

1/24/2018

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January 24, 2018                             ARE  THEY  ASKING
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”
Sanctify means to set apart or declare holy; to consecrate. Most are quick to say that they believe in God and that they are a ‘Christian’, but Christ being Lord of their hearts may be a different issue. It is abundantly clear in the Scriptures that to sanctify, or consecrate Christ as Lord in the heart brings about a radical change. To truly sanctify Christ as Lord of my life means that His purposes over-ride or take precedent over mine. It means that I live for Him, and not for myself. It means that His commands and His wishes are my top priority in life. In essence, since Adam and Eve, the one big issue for mankind has been that of who or what is the lord of the heart. Every individual must make the choice as to whether Christ is the Lord of their heart, or is it self that is lord of the heart. When we read this verse, there is an imposing, indirect question that demands an answer from each of us who confess to being a Christian. Simply put, does our life reflect the hope that comes from Christ being Lord of hearts to the point that others see this hope that we have, and even ask why we have such hope?  We must understand the equation: Christ as Lord=hope. If we say that we have sanctified Christ as Lord in our hearts, and yet we are not a person of hope, then we are blind and/or being dishonest with ourselves. Christ being Lord of our heart brings with it certain fruit, one being that of hope. As believers, we have the Spirit of the creator God living in us; we have been made new from the inside out; our God loves us, strengthens us, and comforts us in all difficulties; we have been forgiven of all our sins; and God is our Father. When you think about it, how can we be without hope if God is our Father? The fact that God is our Father has huge implications for us. Some may think that if they sanctify Christ as Lord of their heart, then what they desire becomes second place. And they are exactly right! The same lie that Adam and Eve dealt with is the lie that man must deal with today. The lie is that man should pursue the things that will make him happy instead of trusting God for fulfillment in life. The truth is that only God can satisfy the longing of our hearts. God is not out to rob us of joy, but to fill us with His joy-to bless us and give us abundant life. When we do sanctify Christ as Lord of our heart, our heart is filled with His presence and life takes on a totally new meaning. Let us not hesitate to sanctify Christ as Lord of our heart; let us reject the lie that says that we should seek our own life. When Christ is indeed the Lord of our heart, we will be a people of hope-and others will inquire of this hope.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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TWO  CHOICES  ONLY

1/21/2018

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January 20, 2018                           TWO  CHOICES  ONLY
Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”
Romans 8:5 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
Ephesians 4:22-24 “You were taught, with respect to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its lustful desires; and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
For the believer, there are only two choices. It is impossible to ignore, or be neutral concerning these two choices. Either of the two choices has far reaching consequences. And, these two choices cannot not be blended. The choices are clear; one choice leads to life, the other choice leads to death-spiritual and possibly physical death. A major part of the New Testament is an admonition, and instruction for believers to make the choice that that God intended and the choice that the Holy Spirit in us makes possible. Even though the choice we have to make is a huge life-changer, the Scriptures make the choices simple to understand. As believers, we walk according to the Spirit, or according to the flesh-not according to both. When the scriptures refer to the ‘flesh’, it is referring to that part of man that rejects God, that is unrenewed, and that insist on living in such a way that satisfies self. In contrast, to walk by the Spirit, is to be led by the Spirit of God that indwells each believer, not fulfilling the desire of the flesh. In the believer, there is an ongoing war between the Spirit and the flesh. Galatians 5:17. At the point of salvation, the believer is given new life-a new man- and all bondage to sin is broken. Because God did not make us as robots with no power to make choices, we must make the choice as to whether we live by the flesh or by the Spirit. The scriptures admonish us to put off the old man and to put on the new man which is in the likeness of God. Ephesians 4:22-23. The antidote to fulling the desire of the flesh is to walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16. This putting off the old man and putting on the new man is something we do on an ongoing basis-a way of life. The good news is that God has made us new, has given us new hearts, spirits, and minds, and has given us His Holy Spirit to equip and enable us to walk according to the ways of God. Ephesians 4:22 tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. For this reason, we must search the Scriptures and learn of our new identity in Christ in order that we may know what is available for us to put on! The New Testament is replete with promises for the believer who walks according to the Spirit. Let us make sure that we know who we are in Christ, and let us continually be putting off the old man and putting on the new man.
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:5-6 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 
 
 
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A  CHOSEN  RACE

1/18/2018

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January 17, 2018                        A  CHOSEN  RACE
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a CHOSEN RACE, a royal PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a PEOPLE FOR FOR  God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
This verse, if truly believed, eradicates any poor self-image, puts an end to depression and anxiety, and gives direction and motivation for life. Wow! The fact that there are multitudes of non-believers as well as believers who are struggling in life, trying to find purpose, direction, and fulfilment, is proof enough that the truth of this verse is not known or not received as true. This verse, in just a few words, clearly explains the core or the basic belief from which a godly self-image flows. As often said, knowing a truth only in our mind lacks the power to change us, but when truth becomes real in our spirit, change happens. So it is with this verse; it is one thing to know it mentally, but another thing to know it in the deepest part of our being. As believers, we are a member of a chosen race, a race chosen by and created by God! This chosen race is made up of believes form all nations and from all walks of life. Even though this chosen race is a spiritual race, it is as real, and even more real than a physical race of people. In this chosen race, there are no barriers and no divisions, unless man-made, and all are brothers and sisters who serve a loving Father. We also make up a priesthood, serving and ministering to the Lord by praising and worshiping Him and by executing His will. We are a holy nation because our Father is holy, and because we belong to Him, He has made us holy. When we are rightly related to God, walking according to the Spirit, we are being holy as He is holy. Some may think that only God is holy, but that is not the case as we see in 1 Peter 1:16: “because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” We could never be holy by our own will-power or by our own strength; we are holy only because we have been joined to God and we are no longer our own, but are God’s own possession. (Not being our own, but being God’s own possession is the best thing that could ever happen to us.) Being holy does not mean that we have a ‘better than thou’ attitude or that we take pride in being holy. If we want to see holiness in action, then all we have to do is look at the life Jesus lived on earth. In Jesus, we see love, humility, compassion, boldness, an unfaltering love for the Father, forgiveness, peace, faith, and the commitment to do the will of His Father. Simply said, holiness is loving God and doing the things that please Him. As alluded to above, our society is experiencing an epidemic of lack of purpose and fulfillment. The proof of this being true become obvious when you look at the rampant drug addiction, broken relationships, identity crisis, a rejection of moral principles, conflicts of all sorts-the list goes on and on. All of these ills of society come as a result of man rejecting God and choosing to live according to his or her own dictates. The good news is that God has made a way for His people to escape the ways of the world that lead to death. He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light and declares that we are His own possession. We have been made new and can now live in holiness and it is now our priviledge to “proclaim the excellences of Him who has called us.” No matter your place in life and no matter your present circumstances, realize that if you belong to Him, you are a member of a chosen race, and as such, you are called to be holy as He is holy.
2 Corinthians 7:1: “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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NOT OF THIS WORLD

1/15/2018

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January 15, 2018                             NOT  OF  THIS  WORLD
John 17:14-17, 21: “I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of this world, even as I am not of this world. I do not ask Thee to take them out of this world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth; Thy word is truth.  that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they may also be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.”
In John 17, as Jesus nears the end of His earthly ministry and is soon to be crucified, He prays for His disciples, committing them to the care of His Father. This prayer was not only for the disciples of that day, but is also a prayer for all believers today. As we read this prayer, we find two central  themes throughout the prayer. One of the major themes of this prayer is that believers are “not of this world.” Jesus was not being poetic or simply using symbolic wording; Jesus meant just what He said: His disciples are not of the world even though they live in the world. As believers, we were known by God long before our physical birth. God knew that because all of mankind would sin against Him; He knew that man would need to be redeemed. God’s perfect plan of redemption was that His only Son would come and die on the cross as the supreme sacrifice for our sin, and because Jesus bore our sin and died in our place, we were redeemed, and restored to a right relationship with God. This world is simply a place where God chose for us to live in the physical realm and it would be a time of being transformed into His image. The amazing truth is that we are from God, He Fathered us, He designed us, and He loved us even before our physical birth. Jesus even calls us His brothers and He tells us that God is His Father and He is our Father as well. Hebrews 2:11. When it becomes real in our spirit that the God who created the universe is our Father, it changes everything. With God as our Father, what have we to fear? Nothing. We can know that our Father loves us and that He will allow only what is good and what is designed for our being transformed into His image. (We live in a fallen world where ‘bad’ things happen, but God’s grace and presence makes us overcomers.) The second major theme of this prayer is that of God being in Jesus, Jesus being in God, and us being in them! It is God’s heart that we enjoy the perfect unity that He and His Son enjoys. Not only are we to be in unity with God and the Son, we are also to be in unity with other believers. God has ordained that when the world sees this unity among God and His Son and those who belong to Him, the world will then know that God sent Jesus into the world as Savior. Realizing our position in Christ, that He is in us and that we are in Him, is absolutely essential if we are to live according to the plans and purposes of God. Let us not live ‘short sighted’ of who we are and as a result live as though we are of this world. We have been joined to God, we have been made new, we have eternal life with Him, and heaven is our real home. The good news is that we can enjoy a bit of heaven even here on earth-all because He is in us and we are in Him!
John 17:26 “and I have made My name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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HOW  DARE  ANYONE

1/11/2018

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January 11, 2018                     HOW  DARE  ANYONE
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15: “And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that man and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame. And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
If there is anything in the Scriptures that is counter-culture, it is found in this verse. And sad to say, this verse is also counter-culture within the church all too often. Somehow, many in our culture have come to view the word of God-and the Christian life in general-as being soft, full of grace, non-confrontational, non-threating, optional, and open to one’s own interpretation. However, the fact is that the gospel is counter-culture. The Scriptures are “sharper than any two edged sword” cutting through to the heart of man, exposing the darkness that is present in the one that does not know God as Savior and brings conviction to the believer who is not walking in the ways of the Lord.  As believers, we must realize that the Scriptures confront us because God loves us and is committed to transforming us into His image. It may be difficult for us to admit, but the Scriptures seem confrontational only because we have a tendency to resist being told what to do. We like certain scriptures because we agree with what they say, but we simply skip over or ignore the ones we do not like. I do not recall a time when the instruction in the above verse was put into practice in any church. What church, what leadership would dare ‘take special note’ and ‘not associate with’ the one who does not obey the instructions of the scriptures? (Note that the goal of this instruction was for the restoration of a brother who had turned away from the Lord.)  The truth is, that if we are not quick to obey the teachings of scripture, we do so at our own hurt. We must root out any hesitation or refusal to obey every word of God. There is great liberty and freedom that comes when we gladly submit to every word that God has spoken. “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. Our view of the scriptures, our desire and our willingness to gladly submit to the words of God over our own preferences is a critical issue for each of us. The unchangeable, unalterable truth is that only God has the keys to life and only as we align our lives with His ways, will we experience life to the fullest. Trying to keep the words of God out of a sense of duty or as a means to earn His love, simply does not work. Only when we experience His love and come to know Him for who He is, does it become our joy to submit to every command, to every word He speaks. Today, let us confess that God’s words are life; let us long for His commands; and let us be quick to obey. This is a good place to be counter-culture!
John 5:24: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life.”
 Proverbs 4:20-22: “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 
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SIMPLIFIED

1/8/2018

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January 8, 2018                          SIMPLIFIED
John 14:21,24 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.      He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Fathers who sent Me.
The truth found in these two verses is liberating, freeing us from the subtle lie that says that we must be diligent to obey the word of God so that He will love us and be pleased with us. It is at this point that many believers err in their understanding of the gospel, and this error robs them of the life that God has made available to them. The idea of earning, and doing what is necessary in order to get what we want, is something that is built into human nature; if we want something, even a good relationship with God, then we must do whatever it is we think we must do to get it. But many have gotten the ‘cart before the horse’ so to speak. The point in this verse that liberates us is often missed or overlooked. The ‘wow’ of this verse is that if love Him, we will thirst and long for, and will keep His commandments. Loving God makes the keeping of His words a natural response on our part-it is a part of our new nature. It’s not too extreme to say that as believers, we do not have to fret over whether or not we are keeping His word, BECAUSE, keeping His word and walking in His ways is what we do WHEN we love Him. If there is anything clear in the word of God, it is that even though we were undeserving, He loved us in our lost condition; He demonstrated this love by sending His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins that we might be born again. The center piece of this new birth is that of God making us new, giving us a new nature. Being given a new nature is no small thing; it is indeed a miracle. With this new nature, we are no longer limited or bound to mere human nature. You could put all people alive today in one of three groups: those who do not know God as Savior and thus are limited to living according to human nature; those who know God as Savior and live out of their new nature; and those who know God as Savior, but continue to live according to their flesh, or human nature. Those that make up this last group do not live according to their new nature because they are either ignorant of the blessing of the new birth, or they simply choose to be disobedient to the words of God-a tragic way to live. The good news is that it is the love of God that makes all the difference. Once we experience, once we taste, once we come to know the love of God for us individually, our desires and motivations change, our thinking changes, our responses change; the power of His love changes us from the inside out. (How do we encounter this love of God? A good question. All I can say is that starts with a desire to know Him. Then you may ask, how does one get this desire to know Him. Again, all I can say is to make a conscience choice to think about God; simply ask God to begin to reveal Himself to you; and most importantly, view the written word of God as just that-the written word of God in which He reveals Himself. Develop a hunger for God. Confess that you need Him.) Simply said, according to this verse, if we find that we pay little or no attention to His words or if we are not keeping His words, then we do not love Him-even though we may say we do. I know that is a painful truth for some-but it is not a condemning word. The word for us today is for us to probe our own heart to determine if our love for Him is evidenced by our keeping His words.
Ephesians 2:4-5: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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HOW  BLESSED  ARE  THOSE

1/5/2018

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January 5, 2018                      HOW  BLESSED  ARE  THOSE
Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord God is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”
The Old Covenant is a picture, or a type, pointing to the coming new and better covenant. The Old Covenant is portrayed and acted out in the natural, while the New Covenant is spiritual in nature. As Peter Parris often says, when referring to the two covenants, the natural precedes the spiritual. God does not change; He was the same God in the Old Covenant as He is in the New Covenant. Even as we read the Old Covenant, we can see the heart of God and we can learn of His ways and see what pleases Him. This verse in Isaiah is a wonderful verse that portrays the heart of God for His people under the Old Covenant and it is His heart for those living under the New Covenant as well. One of the foundational beliefs and the awareness that we as believers should have is that the Lord longs to be gracious to us! We must get it into our spirit that we are not orphans begging God to be kind or gracious to us or that we must in some way try to earn His love and care for us. This is a mind-set and a belief that goes against human nature which says that we must earn or deserve His kindness to us. No matter what we do, or don’t do, God longs for us! The key for us to experience His grace and compassion is that we long for Him. This truth is also found in the New Covenant when God’s says that those who seek Him shall find Him. God does not force Himself upon us, but waits for us to seek Him above everything else-that is the key to experiencing Him. The fact that God waits on high to have compassion on us is an amazing and wonderful truth that should kindle a desire in us to seek Him with all of our heart and with all our being. Think about it-what is more wonderful than to know that the God who created the universe longs to be gracious to us? God is after our heart. This verse forces us to look at our heart, asking the all-important question-do we long for Him? The single, most important, and the most consequential thing one can do in life on this earth is too long to know God. This being true, what is it then that all too often causes this not to be the case? I think the answer is simple, having two parts. First, for many, the desire to satisfy self is greater than the desire to seek God; they fear that if they seek Him first, their selfish desires will not be realized. Second, there has been a widespread misrepresentation and misunderstanding of the gospel that has clouded the good news of the gospel. Whether as a believer or a non-believer, we need to at least be honest about what is most important to us at the present-preserving and satisfying self, or seeking to know God for who He is according to the Scriptures. Also, as believers, we need to acknowledge that it is very possible that our current view and understanding of the gospel may insufficient or even erroneous. Many believers have interpreted the scriptures through their own preferences and systems of theology, resulting in a misunderstanding of the gospel of God. For many, they ignore or explain away any scriptures that do not fit or that contradict their own theology. Much more could be said on this point, but let us receive the gospel for what it is; let us read the scriptures and believe what we read-without making it fit our personal theology. Time and space is out for this blog-but be reminded that God longs to show us His compassion for us. But also be reminded that we experience His great compassion when we in turn long for Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.
Blessings,
Buddy
                                              
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BEFORE  MAKING  YOUR  PLANS

1/2/2018

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January 2, 2018                           BEFORE  MAKING  YOUR  PLANS
James 4:13-15: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
We are quick to make our plans and proceed full speed ahead as if we are in full control and as if we know what the future holds. We are also quick to forget that our life is like a vapor that can vanish away in the blink of the eye. In the above section of scripture, James was reminding the believers that because they did not know the future, they must not live as though they did know what the future held. We know this mentally, but we also must know in our spirit that only God knows the future. The reality is that God does not only know the future, He creates the future! It is certainly a good thing to make plans, as long as the plans are pleasing to the Lord, but we must acknowledge that God is ruling and reigning at that if it is His will, our plans will come to fruition. It is wise to have a permanent mind-set for all of life-‘If the Lord wills.’ If it is our heart to live and work within the Lord’s will, then we can be assured that He will confirm whether or not our plans fit in the plans He has for us. The Lord is pleased when we seek Him and He is quick to guide us in the steps He has for us. The important thing for us is to be willing to change our plans if the Lord closes the door for what we may have planned-no matter how strong our desire is to do what we planned. To choose to live according to God’s plans and desires is wisdom in action. Each of us at times have forged ahead with our own plans without consulting the Lord and have suffered the consequences of doing it our way. But God has grace for those times and He uses our bad decisions, and even what may have been a sin, to draw us to Himself. To acknowledge ‘if the Lord wills’ and trusting God go hand and hand. What the Lord wills for us is the very best, even if we do not understand how that is so. And because He is our Father, we can fully trust and be confident in the direction in which He leads us. Colossians tells us that God cares for us and that He knows what our needs are and that He will provide for our needs-He even feeds the birds of the air and causes the flowers of the field to grow. As we enter a new year, let us pause and acknowledge that only God knows the future; that life is like a vapor; that His ways are always best; let us say from our inner most being that we will do this or that only if the Lord wills. May 2018 be a year when we seek Him with all our heart. 
Proverbs 19:21: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.”
Isaiah 30:21: “And your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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    Buddy Fitzgerald

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